Bringing you the high-speed motorcycle racing news & action from today with the race photos from yesterday & today.
Having followed AMA Flat Track, AMA Road Racing, WERA & various other series since the early to mid '70s, the adrenaline-fed rush still lives on.
Thanks for making Stu's Shots your one-stop shop for racing news, info & links to the action on & off the track!
ALL shots COPYRIGHT Mike 'Stu' Stuhler (unless otherwise noted.)

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

While perusing the usual suspect websites today, I came acrossed this article over at MotoGP.com that explains the thought and process involved in moving the Team Repsol Honda MotoGP teams from event to event. The shot used today helps to represent the work and equipment involved that is necessary to compete in each event on the MotoGP calendar. At the Indy round in August of 2009 the Repsol team is getting bikes set up and ready for the upcoming first practice session of the weekend. You can just make out Dovi in the left rear of his garage amongst three technicians that are concentrating on his two machines alone-plus the group of others you don't see that are assigned to his side of the garage. And then you consider Dani P. has just as many on his side of the wall, and the numbers and equipment start to add up quickly.According to the article, Team Honda alone has just shy of 20 tons worth of bikes, tools and equipment that has to be moved and set up from round to round in order to have their domicile at each event. Read on:http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/repsol+box+is+like+a+laboratory-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Spanish round at Jerez kicks off this Friday April 30th at 7:55 A.M. EDT when the MotoGP bikes hit the track for the first practice round. This is now the second event of the 18 race calendar after the postponement of Motegi to October due to the Icelandic volcano of two weeks ago. Here is the link to the event schedule and on race weekend you can check out the live timing and scoring by just going to the MotoGP.com homepage and looking for the link on the right side column for the app. Jerez is +2 GMT which puts it six hours ahead of EDT in the States.Air times for the race itself are 8:00 A.M. EDT (LIVE) and 4:00 P.M. EDT for the delayed show Sunday May 2nd on SpeedTV:http://www.motogp.com/en/events/Spain/2010-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, April 26, 2010

Back in the '80s and early-mid '90s AMA Flat Track was in it's prime with big money from sponsor Camel and a multitude of rider entries at all races as a result. Since the early '80s, when the Springfield Mile returned to the Grand National schedule with the Memorial Day weekend and the Labor Day weekend runnings, the IMDA has put on one of the best shows on the circuit at these events. Of all of the stops on the GN trail, Springfield is one that virtually sells out the house for every event. And the great thing is there isn't a bad seat in the house. This shot was taken over the Labor Day weekend running of the event in 1992, and shows some of the sport's best blasting off the start line in what was the Camel Dash for Cash event that ran at selected races in those days, and paid a good dividend to not only MAKE the race-six riders qualified for each Dash-but especially to win. Putting the hammer down and getting some serious air are Terry Poovey on the USC Racing Honda RS750 #18, 3-Time Grand National Champion Ricky Graham on another USC Racing Honda RS, Scott Parker on the #1 Harley factory XR750, Larry Pegram on the #72, Rich King on the #80 Honda RS750, and Chris Carr on the #20 Kenny Tolbert-tuned H-D factory XR. Between the late Ricky Graham, Chris Carr and the winningest rider in GN history, Scotty Parker, they owned the history books with a total of 19 championships amongst them. Parker won nine of those championships himself on Bill Werner-tuned equipment.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is what it looks like when an 18-rider mile event field of contestants blasts through turns 1 and 2 on a mile track. This was the Labor Day running of the Springfield Mile in 2001 that features #4 Chris Carr, #69 Nicky Hayden and #23 Kevin Atherton among others. Other then the fact that you HAVE to buy a ticket to get into the event, you hardly ever use the seat itself that comes with it as the action in fast, furious and festive. Mile races typically come down to a pack of 4-8 riders +/- that can be all but covered in a blanket they run so close together. Speeds on the mile come close to 140mph on the straights, and the single lap and race records for a Grand National bike are over 100mph average at Springfield. If you haven't ever seen a mile dirt track race in person, you owe it to yourself to do so. It's the best show on wheels!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heat race action at Springfield over Labor Day weekend in 2004 shows XR-mounted riders Joe Kopp #3 (and 2000 Grand National Champion), Kevin Atherton on the #23 and Terry Poovey on the #18 just beating them out at the finish after 10 laps.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's hoping the weather holds out and that the action is fast and safe for the weekend. We here at Stu's Shots wish all the best for the AMA and all the riders and we'll be watching from afar as the action gets underway on Saturday.Let's go racing flat track mile-style!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, April 22, 2010

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Neil Hodgson on the #100 Team Ducati Parts Unlimited 999R goes through turn 14 at Road America in qualifying for the 2006 round of the AMA Superbike Series' annual trek to the beautiful track in Elkhart Lake, WI. Hodgson won the '00 British Superbike Championship and the '03 World Superbike Championship while riding for Ducati. Neil also rode for Team Honda on the factory team in 2008 and for the satellite effort Corona Honda in a one-off ride in '07 and for the partial season that he wasn't injured in 2009. He will be missed on the track by one and all!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The #100 Team Ducati Parts Unlimited 999R of Neil Hodgson sits under the awning in the team's paddock area at Road America in June of 2006. Hodgson won race one at Road America in 2005 on a similar bike in a roaring downpour of a rainstorm that saw the race called a little over half-way in. Hodgson was later quoted in Cycle News as just 'being a passenger on a projectile' (or to that effect) when speaking about the horrendous conditions that prevailed in that race. 2006 would be his best overall year in terms of points finishes when he got 5th in the AMA Superbike Championship.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Neil Hodgson pushed the Team Austin Ducati Parts Unlimited #100 superbike into turn 14 during the running of race 2 at Road America in June of '05. Hodgson won the previous day's race in a pouring rainstorm that was called due to not only a torrential downpour but due to lightning in the area as well. Hodgson was a great representative of the racing community and went out of his way to talk to fans and sign autographs. I had the pleasure of speaking with him a couple of times while shoving 8x10 shots in front of him that I had taken of him in action and he was a pure gent and joy to talk to and with. He will be missed on the track and we can only hope that sometime in the near future he ends up in a race team capacity that brings him back to his fans here in the States. Great to have talked with him when I got the chance! God Bless you Neil, your demeanor, style and bravado will be missed on the track as well as in the paddock. We wish you nothing but the best of luck in your future endeavors and life's pursuits!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Neil Hodgson on the #100 Team Honda CBR1000RR chases Jamie Hacking on the #2 Team Monster Kawasaki ZX-10R at Road America during race one action in June of 2008. This is in the turn 10/11 areas of the chicane off of the carousel that leads into the back straight. Hodgson sat out the better part of the '07 season except for some testing rides and a 'one-off' AMA Superbike ride at Laguna Seca for Team Corona Honda. He raced for the official factory squad teamed with former '95 AMA Superbike Champion Miguel Duhamel in '08. While riding for the Corona satellite team in '09 he injured his shoulder in a motocross training accident that ultimately led to his retirement announcement today after a try at British Superbikes again for 2010. He crashed during the warm up session at Brands in the opening round and severely re-injured his shoulder predicating the retirement news today.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------News from across the pond hit today that Neil Hodgson, the '00 British Superbike Champion and '03 World Superbike Champion would be hanging up his leathers due to the lingering effects of his injured shoulder that had put him out of action for the better part of the '09 AMA Superbike Championship. Hodgson launched his Rob Mac Motorpoint Yamaha R1 at Brands a few weeks back and landed on the same shoulder. After consulting with several specialists, Neil announced his retirement today as a result of that lingering injury.He will be missed by one and all and we hope that sometime down the road Neil will end up in some racing capacity that will see him back here in the States again. He has been a true champion and spokesperson for the sport and it would benefit whomever he would be involved with as a rider coach and/or team liason. The level of professionalism and enthusiasm that he has brought to the sport, his sponsors and his fans is unparalled. The man is a true gem.Thanks for the memories and for your great resolve on and off the track Neil! You will be missed but you will never be forgotten!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thanks to Paul Carruthers at CycleNews.com for this rendering of Neil's retirement announcement today:http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2010/04/22/hodgson-retires-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The official World Superbike site has their version of '03 World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson's retirement announcement from today:http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/latest-news/3088-former-wsb-champion-hodgson-retires.html-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David Swarts over at John Ulrich's bitchin' RoadRacingWorld.com has an in depth talk with Neil, what led to the decision to retire, and his outlook on his most brilliant future:http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=40191-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nicky Hayden bends the Team Universal Honda RC51 through the carousel turn at Mid Ohio in route to winning race 2 of the AMA Superbike series in 2001. The Kentucky Kid won the '02 AMA Superbike Championship over Mat Mladin after finishing 2nd to him in '00 and 3rd in '01. He also won the final four races of the year in '01 on the RC51 and 9 of 16 races in '02 including the Daytona 200 at the start of the year and another race 2 win at Mid Ohio later in the year. In all Nicky won 17 races in 3 seasons on the hard-as-nails big twin RC.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The #69 RC51 Team Universal Honda of Nicky Hayden sits in the garage area at Mid Ohio in 2001. The big twin saw 23 total AMA Superbike Series wins from '00-'03 at the hands of Nicky, his team mate #17 Miguel Duhamel (who also won the '03 Daytona 200 on one) and with Kurtis Roberts on the #80 Erion Racing RC51. The bike also garnered the 2002 World Superbike Championship at the hands of Colin Edwards on the Team Castrol entry.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------With the Motegi round of MotoGP being pushed back until the first weekend in October due to the volcano in Iceland disrupting world travel, the riders had another week to prepare for the Jerez round in Spain scheduled for April 30-May 2. The folks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway put together another teleconference today that involved '02 AMA Superbike Champ and '06 MotoGP Champion Nicky Hayden.Being in familiar territory and around voices and faces he has been comfortable with for years, Nicky was in a pretty kicked back mood and discussed his brother Tommy's first premier class win at Fontana a few weeks ago, the great weekend coming up in August in Indy, and a little bit of flat track talk slipped in as well. And he even said a few great words about The King and the TZ Miler retro ride from last year. Good reading!Thanks to Dean Adams over at SuperBikePlanet.com for the link to the press conference with Nicky and the IMS team.Stu's Shots can't wait for the Indy round of MotoGP in August. It's going to be a great weekend of speed, racing and having fun with fellow race fans!Read and RIGHT on:http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/Apr/100421nickhaydenims.htm

And here's the official link to the Indianapolis Red Bull MotoGP round scheduled for August:http://www.redbullindianapolisgp.com/And if you are in town and want to see the best in two wheeled action, you gotta check out the Indy Mile! Make sure to get your tickets early so you won't be left standing in line to get them when the races roll off Saturday night August 28th:http://www.indymile.com./-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Hayden clan all but owned the 'old' AMA 600 Supersport class from the late '90s until mid-late '00s. Nicky won the title with Honda's Erion Racing in '99, Tommy took the title in '04-'05 for Team Kawasaki and Roger bagged his title for Team Kaw in '07. In this shot Tommy on the #1 leads Roger on the #95 as team mates on matching Team Kawasaki ZX-6R-based equipment run it into turn 14 during the 600 Supersport final at Road America in June of 2005. This will be Roger's seventh year on Kawasaki's and without a doubt his biggest challenge since breaking in to the AMA scene some 10 years ago. Learning new tracks, equipment, team members and the overall climate changed involved in a move to Europe has proven to be a big step for the youngest of the Hayden brothers.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roger Lee Hayden's AMA 600 Supersport 2007 Championship winning Kawasaki ZX-6R sits on display in the Kawasaki tent at Road America in June of 2008. RLH won his first AMA Pro Road Race at Barber Motorsports Park in 2004, and finished runner-up to Tommy in the 600 Supersport class in '04-'05. Now on Team Pedercini Kawasakis in the World Superbike series in Europe, he is starting to get closer to the points in finishes coming into the fourth round this upcoming weekend in Assen. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The youngest of the Hayden clan, Roger Lee, has been running in the World Superbike series this year for Team Pedercini Kawasaki after having spent the last decade racing in the AMA series and garnering a championship in '07 in the 600 Supersport class. Finding the right mix while running for a 'satellite' team has been a struggle this year, but after three rounds Roger really feels as if the team and himself are getting closer to the points. And with a field of seven manufacturers and some 24 or 25 entries at every round in the WSBK series, that really is a pretty good accomplishment at this point. With the Assen round of WSBK running this weekend, the folks over at RoadRacerX.com got a chance to have a sit-down with Roger and see what is overall outlook is on the world scene coming into the 4th of 13 rounds this year. Interesting read and great to hear the ole Hayden morale and attitude is still present and accounted for (not like it wouldn't be in that family-all stand up people!) Check it out and enjoy the interview with RLH.We wish Roger the best of luck this weekend as well as the rest of the year in the WSBK series, and we know he'll make us all proud just like the whole family has for years!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can check out the World Superbike Assen round this weekend on SpeedTV on Sunday April 25th at 3-5 PM EDT.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Jamie James on the #2 Vance and Hines Yamaha YZF-750 leads across the stripe early in the running of the AMA Superbike final at Mid Ohio in August of '92, only to look over and see the starter displaying the meat ball flag for him. Following him and getting a little crossed-up is Scott 'The Screaming Chief' Russell on the #17 Team Muzzy Kawasaki ZX7 and Pascal Picotte on the #34 Fast By Ferracci Ducati 851. James was judged to have jumped his front row start on the green light-he DID get a bit of a quick roll that day-and was shown the proverbial 'meat ball' flag which signals the rider in the field that was judged to have jumped a start that a penalty is forthcoming. If a rider fails to meet the obligations of the flag-which has been a ride-through penalty for years-scoring is discontinued on the rider until they do serve said penalty/ride-through. James error on this day led to Doug Polen on the #23 Fast By Ferracci Ducati winning the final over Russell's team mate Thomas Stevens on the #1 Team Muzzy Kaw and Tom Kipp on the #16 Team Camel Honda RC30.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scoring a motorcycle road race before the days of transponders used to be a lesson in Chinese arithmetic. Let alone if the road race was longer then 45-50 minutes, you were in for a long, drawn out day if you were in the scoring stand with your stock of legal paper and #2 pencils.Times have changed in the last decade and a half, and most racing series now supply transponders to each participant's ride to help insure good, let alone, timely results for each event.Yesterday at Road Atlanta in the AMA Superbike race one final saw a situation where a rider-Josh Hayes on the #4 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 in this case-was deemed to have jumped the start and was thusly shown the meat ball flag. Hayes was just rolling through the pits for his ride-through penalty when the red flag was thrown for a crash on track, and it took some time AFTER the race was re-started, run and finished, before the results of this race were finally deemed 'final' due to a breakdown in the technological processes of the timing and scoring department.Without coming off as a rant here, I want to mention that from what I have read so far, the AMA did a good job in the end of handling the issue, but the issue definitely lacked some forward thinking on their part in that it wasn't resolved in between red flag and re-start. And that was where the problem played out in that, in this case, Hayes was allowed to re-start from the front row based on his position on the most previous 'full lap' as completed by the field. But the problem was that the meat ball flag and subsequent ride-through weren't factored in properly for the re-start.SpeedTV.com's Chris Martin covers the AMA Pro Road Racing series and has done so for several years. Beside the fact he's from my old hometown of Iowa City, Iowa, Chris has a great inside line and perspective of what the racing is really all about and what the fans want to see. And not. And in this case, to go home thinking you have seen the winner when in fact long after the outcome of the race has been decided that the results are adjusted due to some type of error or penalty or scoring anomaly on the track. That is what happened at HotLanta yesterday and Blake Young on the #79 Team Yoshimura Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 was declared the winner a little over an hour after the race and ceremonies were completed.So to better point out what should have been as opposed to what was, I'll let Mr. Martin explain the various methods that could have better led to a more proper outcome for the racers, fans, and in this case, Blake Young, who as a result, had his first win the premier series handed to him long after the podium celebration champagne spraying was mopped up.Great story and explanations by Chris on this subject, as there are clearly no winners when this type of situation is missed or mis-handled, and this is why I am trying to be as objective as possible with this AMA error due to the fact that they really have been trying to display an air of 'let's all just get along' in their running of the series this year after the sheer mockery they made of it last year. Read on and decide for yourself:

Saturday, April 17, 2010

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Aaron Yates on the #20 Team Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 leads Blake Young on the #79 M4 Emgo Suzuki GSX-R1000 during the AMA Superstock finale at Mid Ohio in 2008. Young was awarded his first AMA Superbike win late this afternoon after protests filed by Team Suzuki questioning Josh Hayes win and lack of penalty for a jump-start before the lap four red flag. Hayes was relegated to sixth place after the penalty was allowed and figured into the race final standings. Yates replacement on the Team Jordan Suzuki #23 bike this weekend has been Brett McCormick, the runner-up in the '09 Canadian Superbike Series. McCormick was running in the top 8 when he crashed out unhurt this afternoon. Last word had Yates possibly returning to action mid-May at Infineon should his leg injuries heal properly. Let's hope they do!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Blake Young, on the #79 Team Yoshimura Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 was awarded the win after penalties for Josh Hayes' jump-start were reviewed after the completion of race one in AMA Superbike action at Road Atlanta.The win was Young's first in the AMA premier class to match team mate's Tommy Hayden's first win at Fontana several weeks ago. The write-up on the finish resolution can be read here thanks to Dean Adams at SuperbikePlanet.com, who reportedly is one of five media journalists on-site this weekend in the red clay state of Georgia. Although this may seem out of line to what the DMG folks have been trying to do to turn the running of the series around this year after last year's debacles, the review was explained and it sounds like mistakes in timing and scoring were what actually factored into the decisions in initially giving the win to Hayes. Even Josh commented in the press conference how he thought that a mistake was made and he was taking advantage of that error:

Here is the final rundown on the penalty and outcome of race one at HotLanta today penned by the original Henny Ray Adams over at CycleNews.com. This further explains the outcome and the reasoning for the change. Congrats to Blake Young on his first AMA Superbike race win! I'm sure it's the first of many to come on this team and with Mat Mladin's former crew chief Peter Doyle in charge and Blake twisting the throttle there most likely will be MANY more.Read on:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Josh Hayes on the #41 Attack Performance Kawasaki ZX10R at Mid Ohio during race one superbike race action in 2004. Hayes 'won' today's race one at Road Atlanta, but it is currently under 'review or protest' due to a jump start penalty that is being re-considered after a protest was filed by Team Suzuki. Stay tuned......-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Josh Hayes on the #4 Team Graves Yamaha YZF-R1 took the checkered flag this afternoon over Blake Young on the #79 Team Yoshimura Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000, but the race is under protest due to a jump start penalty infraction that was leveled against Hayes before a red flag occured on lap 4.You can read the latest thanks to the folks at CycleNews.com and the legendary Henny Ray Abrams here. Should this change I will update accordingly:

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Jay Springsteen on the #65x Vista Sheen XR-750 leads Gary Scott on the #64 factory XR-750 in the middle of turns 1 and 2 at Terre Haute during the main event in August of '75. Springer went on to finish 3rd in the standings his rookie year behind Scott, who won the championship on a factory Harley tuned by Bill Werner, and Kenny Roberts on the factory Yamaha (and the '73-'74 AMA Grand National Champion). Springer was signed by Harley to fill the seat left by Scott (who bolted to run his own team after differences with former flat track manager Dick O'Brien) and went on to capture the '76-'78 Grand National Championships, and to become the first man in GNC history to win over 30 events in flat track competition. Of course Werner went on to amass 13 Grand National Championships overall with Scott, Springer and Scott Parker as well.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Grand National #9 sits on the end of his transporter and talks shop with family, friends and fans in the pit area at the Indy Mile during MotoGP weekend of August 2009. Sitting out front just clean as a whistle was Jay's restored XR-750 that had at one time belonged to and was raced by former Grand National Champion Bart Markel. Jay was overheard to say it was what got him out of the house to be able to go have a beer, and that was how the project started in restoring it. Fine piece of equipment and there was a crowd around it checking it out and very appreciative of the effort put in by Ole No. 9! Great job! One of his own Bartel's XR's sat off to the side as well, but Jay was just spectating this event. Not too mention showing off his restoration abilities. Did I say great job!?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ken Springsteen #76x leads his brother Jay on the #65x XR-750 in between turns 1 and 2 at Terre Haute during practice in August of 1975. Vista Sheen was an outfit out of the Detroit-Flint, MI. area that manufactured custom t-shirt designs, i.e. racing team shirts and sponsor shirts. Ken and Jay came up through the old 'ladder' system in those days from the Amateur to the Novice class and then on to the Grand National class. I remember seeing them both unload along with Bart Markel and Corky Keener together at an indoor race at the old Market Square Arena here in Indy back in February of 1975, and pitting side-by-side in the pit area that was set up for the racers at the arena. The Michigan Mafia is still steeped in a very long line of hard-core racing talent from that area of the country. Must be in the water or the veggies...------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cliff 'Corky' Keener on the #62 factory H-D XR-750 leads the field into turn one for the Expert Main Event in the October 1975 running of the AMA and ABC Race of Champions at Louisville Downs. Following are #31 Rex Beauchamp on another of the factory Harley's, Jay Springsteen on the #65x Vista Sheen XR, Scott Drake on the #91, #42 Steve Morehead, #45 Doug Sehl, #14 Hank Scott and the #92 of H-J Products-sponsored Steve Droste. Back in the mid-70's the AMA ran the 'race of champions' as a way of bringing together all winners of all the races , flat track AND road race, throughout the season into one big race or showdown. This was the expert main race-part of the program that was won by Hank Scott on the #14 XR that was actually Sehl's spare bike. Scott's Shell Thuett Yamaha broke earlier in the day. The main event Race of Champions itself was won by future '81 Grand National Champion and current AMA Flat Track Head Man Mike Kidd. Droste's sponsor H-J Products was based out of South Bend, IN., and used to have one of the regular ads in the classified section of Cycle News East that ran every week for several years back then. All competitors in the ROC and in this shot were on XR's, including '70 GNC Gene Romero who was in the event due to winning the Daytona 200 in March of '75 on a Team Yamaha-factory TZ750. Springer's first GN win came at Louisville in June of '75, and he went on to win two more in '75, including Harrington, DE. the next race weekend. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Kevin Atherton on the #23 runs it into turn 1 at Springfield with Jay 'Springer' Springsteen alongside on the #9 Bartel's machine. Just behind on the #69 Earls' Racing Team XR is future AMA Superbike and MotoGP Champion Nicky Hayden, with 7-Time Grand National Champion #4 Chris Carr and #67 Ken 'The King of Cool' Coolbeth (and future 3-Time Grand National Champion) just behind. This was the AMA Hall of Fame race weekend Labor Day of 2001. Springer's last win came at Springfield in May of 2000, and I'm proud to say I saw his first and his last as well. The guy has been an ironman throughout his career, and if not for being temporarily derailed in the early 80's due to his stomach illness, he surely would have won many more races and championships. Other then some road racing the last few years, the 'ole gunslinger' is missed on the flat track scene. It never ceases to amaze me that when he does show up at a race, he still gets the loudest ovation of anyone on-hand. The guy is a great and likeable champion and person, and has a smile that would win the devil over with! A close friend of mine was spectating at the first MotoGP round here in Indy back in September of '08 and just happened to look over and see Springer spectating as well. He mentioned he had never met a nicer person and fun guy to talk to and with. Sounds just like Springer doesn't it?! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I remember showing up at the Louisville Half Mile in June of '75 and seeing this young guy everyone had been talking about for some time that was just flat tearing the track up.In practice, feet-up slides and powering through the corners, everyone had their eyes on the #65x of Jay Springsteen on his Vista Sheen-sponsored H-D XR-750, and wondered what was to come. The quiet-in-speech but loud-on-the-track 18 year old youngster was making an impression. And the rooster tails he would lay out behind him were just part of it.To another young 18 year old, myself, who was just starting to get in to the wonderful world of AMA Flat Track, I was amazed and thrilled to see what this young gun could do with the twist of his wrist and throwing the XR sideways into the corners. Little did I know at the time what a chapter in flat track history I was actually witnessing.After having just seen my first two flat track races the summer before, I was bought and sold on the sport, and with Louisville being my third overall race to spectate at (and from inside the pits to boot!) I was getting a pretty good education. And when the teacher was done, I had witnessed-along with approximately 15K other people that night-the dawn of a new era in AMA Grand National Flat Track racing. The Springer Years were born on that night, as the ole gunslinger won the first of many of his long list of Grand National flat track races. And I was taken to school and loved every minute of it!Springer will be celebrating his birthday on Thursday April 15th-tax day-and I for one will be sipping a cold glass of something in honor of the 'kid' who could flat hang it out on a flat track motorcycle. And after all these years, I still have the same-or even more, for that matter-level of enthusiasm I do for this great sport, and for the people who have made it what it is.Jay Springsteen is one of those who made one heck of a dent in this sport in terms of good values, good racing, and good people. And he made quite the impression on another '18 year old kid' in the process. Let alone a life-long fan!Hats and helmets off to Jay Springsteen, one of the best to ever throw a leg over a flat track bike, twist it sideways and rocket it down the 135mph front straight in a wild mile pack, Happy Birthday My Man! And thanks for all you have done to and for the fans and the sport of flat track, and for making at least one more green kid a little less greener.Take a bow, Jay, you deserve it. Enjoy your day!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Here's the AMA Hall of Fame page bio on Springer from his induction in 2003:http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=307The Motorsports Hall of Fame in Novi, MI. has a page on Jay written by ex-Cycle New scribe and flat track series contributor Scott Rousseau:http://www.mshf.com/hof/springsteen_jay.htmAnd Springer's long-time sponsor Bartel's H-D has a tribute page to him as well in the racing section of their website:http://www.bartelsharley.com/racing/springsteen.shtml-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Colin Edwards on the #45 Vance and Hines Yamaha leads Troy Corser on the #19 Ferracci Ducati in the carousel turn at Mid Ohio during the AMA Superbike final in summer of 1994. Dale Quarterley on the #32 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Kawasaki follows, with Tom Kipp on the #16 Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R750 in pursuit, Jamie James (partially hidden) on the #2 Vance and Hines Yamaha, Tiger Sohwa on the Team Muzzy #41 ZX7, Thomas Stevens on the #11 Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R750, Mike Smith on the Smokin' Joe's #68 Honda RC45 and Fred Merkel on the #27 Team Muzzy Kawasaki ZX7 all vying for position. This shot was early in the final and Miguel Duhamel is already through on the soon-to-break Harley Davidson VR1000. Edwards went on to win his first AMA Superbike final later in the race and Corser went on to win the 1994 AMA Superbike Championship at the season finale at Road Atlanta a little over two months later. He then vaulted to World Superbikes, won his first WSBK Championship while riding for Ducati in '96 and bagging his second in '05 while riding for Suzuki. Let's hope he can make it a hat trick and get one for BMW before he retires. Corser did a great job over this last weekend by just missing the box in race one at Valencia in World Superbike competition. The BMW team is getting closer thanks to one of the masters of bike set up and testing. We can't wait to see him not only on the box but on TOP as well!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of the stories that missed being front and center over the weekend was Troy Corser taking the #11 BMW Motorrad Motorsport S1000RR to a fourth place finish in World Superbike race one at Valencia. Of course, fourth doesn't seem like a great accomplishment for a former multi-time champ and multi-race winner like Corser, but for the second year World Superbike BMW team it is quite the accomplishment. After a slow, crash-filled first round race weekend in Australia for the team, Corser running within less then 4.5 seconds of winner Carlos Checa just three rounds into the season is a pretty big leap. Coupled with the addition of David Tardozzi, his former crew chief at Ducati, Corser and team are very steadily getting the handle on the second year mount.Bravo to Troy and Team Motorrad Motorsport BMW for this great stride, and we'll be looking to see more out of this great team as the year progresses. And with six different manufacturers in the top six in race one at Valencia, the competition is fierce in the series, but we know Troy and company are up to it. Bravo and go get 'em, mate!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, April 11, 2010

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nicky Hayden on the #69 Team Honda RC51 is shown in the carousel while qualifying for the AMA Superbike Mid Ohio round in the summer of 2000. Hayden rode a masterful race today in the MotoGP race at the Losail circuit in Qatar to just finish off the podium. Looking more like the Nicky of old, the #69 Ducati got a rocket start off the third row in the season opener today. His level of confidence showed while battling on track with Andrea Dovizioso on the Repsol Honda and Jorge Lorenzo on the Fiat Yamaha. Hayden was simply out powered on the long front straight as Dovizioso nipped him at the line by .011 of a second for the final rostrum spot. Nonetheless, Nicky rode the wheels off the Ducati in the turns and showed why he is a former MotoGP champion and also showed that the learning curve on the Ducati has narrowed considerably. Bravo Nicky, bravo! We're looking forward to more top end speed from Ducati to get Nicky on the podium this season.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ben 'Elbows' Spies on the #11 Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R600 powers up the hill out of turn 10 at Mid Ohio during qualifying for the 600 Supersport race in Lexington, OH. in the summer of 2005. Spies rode the wheels off of his #11 Monster Energy Yamaha YZF-M1 today in Qatar to garner a 5th place finish as well as his best finish of any of the MotoGP rounds he has thusly contested since the 2008 season. Looking like the pro and former multi-time champion he is, Spies put some passes on the #26 Repsol Honda of Dani Pedrosa and the satellite Honda of #14 Randy DePuniet to move him up the field to a fine finish in the 2010 season opener. The coverage was excellent thanks to the great folks at SpeedTV and Dorna for stepping up this year with 'live' and HD viewing. Spies got some good airtime on the tube after a rocket start off row four to 8th on the first lap, actually the first corner or two.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thomas Stevens on the Team Yoshimura #11 GSX-R750 leads the Vance and Hines Yamaha YZF-750's of #2 Jamie James and #45 Colin Edwards out of the carousel and onto the front straight early in the running of the AMA Superbike final at Mid Ohio in July of 1994. Edwards went on to win his first AMA Superbike race on this day to propel him onto the world scene of road racing in the last 16 years. Contesting his 7th season in the premier MotoGP class today at Qatar, Colin garnered a hard-earned 8th place finish equaling his qualifying position for the weekend in the middle of the third row. CE didn't see much airtime today on SpeedTV on his #5 Monster Energy Yamaha YZF-M1 but what he did looked great. The new HD coverage by SpeedTV and their partners with the Dorna group was magnificent! Bravo to Speed and Dorna, and to Colin, Nicky and Ben for their fine performances today!!!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Great racing and great tv coverage of the season opening MotoGP round in Qatar met viewers today as the Americans finished 4th, 5th and 8th, while defending MotoGP and 7-Time premier class champion Valentino Rossi won the battle after early leader Casey Stoner crashed out early in the going.And a great high def picture and wonderful coverage by the folks at SpeedTV and the television partners through the Dorna folks were just what 'The Doctor' ordered. The new HD picture and camera coverage was superb, and while racing wasn't quite 'live' as was advertised (there was an 8-10 minute delay from 'live' to DirecTV satellite from the MotoGP.com live timing feed) the overall job done by the folks that bring you MotoGP tv was most excellent and very well handled. And for a track that sits in the middle of a desert 20 miles from 'real' civilization, the track looked simply wonderful under the lights and the racing action was some of the best seen in the premier class since the inception of the 800's in the class in 2007. Maybe the six engine sealed rules helped bring this about, but after Rossi inherited the lead from Stoner's crash, 2nd through 4th were covered by only .854 of a second and Ben Spies in 5th less then two seconds back. Good racing to say the least, even some of what you could see further back in the field.It should be an exciting season, and The Doctor sure looks to have them covered again for 2010, but the racing throughout the field should be much better this year if today was any indication whatsoever.Again, hats and helmets off to SpeedTV and Dorna people for putting together a better and even more quality program then what we have seen in the past! Great job. Next MotoGP round in Japan April 23-25th. If you didn't see today's race, the re-air runs on Tuesday April 13th at 4 AM EDT on SpeedTV. Don't miss it or you WILL be sorry on this one.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Here's the official results in PDF form thanks to the MotoGP.com people:http://resources.motogp.com/files/results/xx/2010/QAT/MotoGP/RAC/Classification.pdf?v1_6962c5f3-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------And you can read a good synopsis of the race and the results here thanks to David Emmett over at his super site MotoMatters.com. Here's the link and while you're over there check out his site and some of the articles, pictures and advertisers he has. David does a great job of keeping the fans on the cutting edge of MotoGP:http://www.motomatters.com/results/2010/04/11/2010_qatar_motogp_race_result_thrilling_.html

Thursday, April 8, 2010

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Ducati's of #69 Nicky Hayden and #36 Mika Kallio sit on display outside the team garages during the pitwalk at the Indy round of MotoGP in August of 2009. Kallio was filling in for A-rider Casey Stoner who sat out several rounds last year due to illness. With Stoner's diet under control and no off-season surgeries or injuries to slow him down, look for him to be tough to regain the MotoGP crown he held after the '07 season. And with good testing numbers finally starting to come his way, Nicky has made leaps and bounds over last year's initial season on the big Duc to be able to feel the bike and feel confident on the bike. In the last test at Qatar several weeks ago, Stoner was fastest and Nicky was fifth overall. Things should be good for the Marlboro Ducati Team this year barring injuries or the new six-engine rule for the year. Kallio will be on the Team Pramac Ducati for the 2010 season.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rick McGuire looks over one of the Valentino Rossi replica M1's that was on display throughout the weekend of the inaugaral Indy MotoGP in September of 2008. This particular display was set up at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, home of The Indy Mile. The van in the background was decaled out in Indy MotoGP graphics, and several were used to demo bikes up to and including the weekend of the races all over town. When Tony George was still running the show at IMS he pulled no punches when it came to the MotoGP weekend, and we can only hope with him out of the picture that that doesn't change around Indy!With seven (yes, count 'em, 7!) premier class MotoGP Championships under his belt and over 100 premier class wins as well, Rossi will be the one to beat this year. If he stays healthy and injury-free (and REALLY, when was the last time he WAS injured?) Vale should be holding 8 series championships after this year. But, that's why we race now, isn't it?! Vale will be teamed again this year with Spanish sensation Jorge Lorenzo on the factory team Yamaha.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Mapfre Anspar Aprilia 250 team of #55 Hector Faubel and #19 Alvaro Bautista get set up by the team members in the MotoGP garage area at Indy in September of 2008. The smell of castor oil in the air and sounds of chain saws on acid are a lingering memory in the middle class.Even though the 250's are gone after the '09 season and Moto2 starts a new class for 2010, they will forever 'ring' on in our hearts. With the new Moto2 class and the 600 Honda engines mounted in different chassis set-ups, this could be a very interesting series to watch in it's initial voyage. With big teams like Antonio Banderas' and Tech 3's having a go of it, the possibilities could be very exciting. Stay tuned!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The #15 San Carlo Team Honda of Alex De Angelis sits outside the garages at the Indy MotoGP round in September of 2008. Nicky Hayden's #69 Repsol Honda lingers just inside the garage. Hayden brought the #69 home in second behind Valentino Rossi in the initial running of the Indy round of MotoGP, and it was this weekend that the 'unofficial' announcement came of his move to Ducati for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The 'official' announcement actually came the Monday after the Indy races. De Angelis will be running in the Moto2 class for the 2010 season.

The weekend was fraught with the remnants of Hurrican Ike to the 93K+ spectators as well as the riders that braved the 60mph winds on Sunday to watch the riders do battle. Unfortunately the 250 race was canceled due to the elements. 2009 was all but picture perfect, with the help of being three weeks earlier on the calendar. We hope that 2010 is a near repeat weather-wise!

One of the Repsol Honda RC212V's gets warmed up in the pitlane at Indy in August of 2009. The official factory team again will consist of Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso. Both Honda's struggled in the off-season tests, especially with what seems to be the main culprit of the switch to Ohlins suspension after having been involved with Showa for decades. With limited testing, track time and race time due to the new six-engine rule, we hope that the setbacks experienced thus far won't get worse for the Honda's as the season wears on.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------MotoGP 2010 is less then a few hour away--officially--and the great news this week was a press release from the folks at Dorna and SpeedTV announcing that the majority of the races this year will be shown live, and all of them will be in HD. Here is the official release as posted by the great folks over at RoadRacingWorld.com that includes the full schedule for the year at this time (Indy and Laguna times TBA):

You can follow the rest of the action via the link below to the action in the desert of Qatar.

The MotoGP race is scheduled for 4 PM EDT on Sunday April 11th.

MotoGP.com does have a great time converter on the current round schedule to adjust for the +3 GMT time differential to Qatar. They also have a great timing and scoring ap so you can follow all the practice and qualifying sessions live.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------With the checkered flag in site, Nicky Hayden comes through the carousel section of Mid Ohio on his Team Honda Universal Films RC51 superbike in route to his race two win in July of 2001. Nicky would win the AMA Superbike Championship in 2002 and go on to the MotoGP series and win that championship in 2006. Nicky will be on Wind Tunnel tonight as a guest to his long time friend Dave Despain.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Happy Easter to everyone from Stu's Shots and Nicky Hayden. We hope you all have a wonderful day and don't eat too many chocolate eggs!

Nicky announced on his website that he will be on SpeedTV tonight on Dave Despain's 'Wind Tunnel' show which airs at 9:00 PM EDT here in the States. What better way then to top off the weekend and listen to Nicky talk about the upcoming MotoGP season which kicks off in Qatar on Friday April 9th. After moving up in testing and finding some new changes to his liking, Nicky's second year on the Ducati is looking brighter for him and his fans.Tune in and turn on...just don't drop out on this one.......

Saturday, April 3, 2010

The #1 Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbikes of Mat Mladin get attention under the awning in the Road America paddock in June of 2006. Mladin was the '99-'01, '03-'05 and '09 AMA Superbike Champion before retiring at the end of the '09 season to his home and businesses in Australia. Further alongside sit Ben Spies' GSX-R600 Supersport bikes and at the far end of the tent his GSX-R1000 Superbikes as well. Spies took the AMA Superbike Championship in '06-'08 before moving on to World Superbikes in '09 where he won the championship, and for 2010 will be Colin Edwards team mate on the Yamah Tech 3 team in MotoGP. Mladin won both superbike events at Elkhart Lake this year with Spies following him home in both.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of the team wrenches for the Yoshimura Suzuki works on Ben Spies' #1 GSX-R1000 primary bike in preparation for the weekend's superbike doubleheader at Road America in June of 2008. Spies won race one on the weekend with Mat Mladin on the #6 Team Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 winning race two. Mladin went on the win his 7th and final superbike title in 2009 while Spies headed across the pond to contest the World Superbike Championship, and won the championship in his 'rookie' year.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Team Suzuki Racing released an updated and upGRADED website this week that includes a nice archive, photo and results section. Since there isn't much racing going on this weekend other than the British Superbike Series meet in Brands, this would be the time to do some bench and couch racing and catch up on what is happening in the world of Team Suzuki-other then Tommy Hayden bagging his first premier class win at Fontana last weekend, of course. See it here:

Thursday, April 1, 2010

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Neil Hodgson on the #100 Parts Unlimited Ducati 999R comes out of the turn 9 area for the run into 10 and into the blind uphill left under the pedestrian bridge during qualifying for the Honda Super Cycle Weekend at Lexington, OH. in July of 2005. Hodgson came to the U.S. in '05 after winning the British Superbike Championship in 2000 and the World Superbike Championship in 2003. He won race one at Road America in a downpour that was red flagged just over half way into the 16 lap final approximately six weeks before the Mid Ohio event shown here. His return to British Superbikes is America's loss, and we look for him to do well in the Rob Mac Motorpoint Yamaha team this year and wish him the very best!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The great blokes across the pond at the British Superbike Series Blog have a post from former British and World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson talking about his return to Brands Hatch for this weekend's season kick off for the BSB series. With Neil back in the UK we look to see him up at the front on the Rob McElnea-run Motorpoint Yamaha team with top notch equipment at their hands in the form of the new generation crossplane R1.Here's what Neil has to say in anticipation of returning to the scene of some of his greatest wins in front of his home crowd. We miss him here in the States already. Good luck and ride safe, Neil, and get back on top of that box!http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/british-superbikes/2010/04/my-brands-hatch-hopes.html-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------You can follow the BSB series here at their official link. Action kicks off tomorrow!http://www.britishsuperbike.com/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Here's the link to the weekend schedule in PDF form:http://www.britishsuperbike.com/media/1170145/timetable%20bh1%20v2.pdf-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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The King

The 4-1-1

Fan of all racing, but the bikes are what makes the adrenaline flow and the rush set in.
In what started as an attempt to share and scrapbook my racing catalog, I have since streamlined my coverage to give a more updated and behind the scenes look at motorcycle racing from the eye of my camera and from my perspective as a long-time fan.
So stay tuned for coverage of AMA Pro Flat Track and Road Racing, along with some of the other series that showcase the great sport of 2-wheeled high speed racing!
You can e-mail me @: stuman714@yahoo.com